Color Theory in Art

Why do we learn about Color Theory? Color Theory is a collection of guidelines on the use of color for artists and it can really help any creative person make intelligent decisions when thinking about what colors to use in an artwork.

A 12-section color wheel can be used to help describe the relationship between different colors when they are viewed together. Artists use these color relationships to achieve different effects such as dramatic contrast or colors that are visually appealing together. Below are described some of the most common definitions used to describe these colour relationships.

Color Theory Definitions

Hue – a color or shade.

Primary Color – Red, blue and yellow. All colors can be created by mixing primary colours.

Secondary Color – A color resulting from the mixing of two primary colors.

Tertiary Color – The resulting color formed when an equal amount of a primary and a secondary color are mixed.

Complementary Colors – Colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. For example, purple and yellow. Complementary colors will contrast greatly.

Van Gogh used blues and oranges in his painting ‘Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles’, 1888, below. Because he uses complementary colors the colors contrast and are vibrant.

Analogous Colors – Any three colors which are side by side on a 12-section color wheel, such as yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange.